Prioritizing Proximity: Choosing Jesus Over Distraction

 

Summary

Tonight, I revisited a familiar passage from Luke's Gospel, focusing on the story of Martha and Mary, to delve deeper into the themes of proximity and priority in our relationship with Jesus. As we gathered, I reminded us of the importance of not becoming complacent with familiar scriptures, as they hold deep truths that can continually transform our lives.

I began by setting the scene where Jesus visits Martha and Mary. Martha, overwhelmed with the duties of hosting, becomes distracted and anxious, while Mary chooses to sit at Jesus' feet, absorbing his teachings. This contrast between the sisters highlights two different responses to Jesus' presence: one of busyness and one of attentiveness.

I emphasized that proximity to Jesus is crucial. Mary physically positioned herself close to Jesus, signifying her desire for spiritual closeness. In contrast, Martha, though physically near, was spiritually distant due to her preoccupations. This teaches us that being in the same room with Jesus doesn’t equate to being close to Him unless we make a deliberate move to reduce the distance.

The sermon explored the idea that our priorities determine our proximity. Mary prioritized her time and attention, understanding the rarity and value of Jesus' presence, choosing what Jesus later described as the "good portion," which would not be taken from her. This act of choosing Jesus above all tasks and distractions is a powerful lesson in setting priorities that align with eternal significance.

I shared personal reflections on how maintaining spiritual proximity and priority prevents burnout in ministry and life. Serving Jesus and His kingdom is important, but it should not come at the expense of our relationship with Him. Jesus desires our hearts more than our hands, and when we offer our hearts, our service becomes more joyful and fulfilling.

I concluded by challenging the church to not only grow in numbers but to progress in spiritual depth and outreach. Growth without real movement is like a glacier—massive yet barely shifting. True progress in our faith and church life requires constant movement towards deeper relationships with Jesus and greater impact in our community.

Key Takeaways:

1. Proximity Requires Intentionality: Just as Mary chose to sit at Jesus' feet, we must intentionally position ourselves close to Jesus through prayer, worship, and engagement with Scripture. This proximity is not just physical but spiritual, fostering a deeper relationship with Him. [06:33]

2. Priority Shapes Our Actions: Mary's decision to prioritize Jesus over household tasks is a call for us to evaluate our own priorities. What we consider most important will dictate how we spend our time and energy. When Jesus is our priority, our activities and tasks align with His will and purpose. [14:56]

3. The Danger of Distraction: Martha's distraction with serving is a mirror reflecting our own often divided attention. In a world filled with endless tasks and digital notifications, choosing to focus on Jesus is both counter-cultural and essential for spiritual growth. [16:10]

4. Spiritual Burnout and Renewal: Engaging deeply with Jesus renews our spirits and prevents burnout. When our service is rooted in a relationship rather than obligation, our ministry becomes sustainable and joy-filled. [17:27]

5. Church Growth vs. Progression: As a church, we must aspire not just to increase in number but to make real progress in spiritual depth and community impact. This requires a collective shift towards more meaningful engagement with God and His mission. [30:36]

Youtube Chapters:
- [0:00] - Welcome
- [01:28] - Introduction to the Passage
- [06:33] - Mary's Proximity to Jesus
- [13:58] - Contrast Between Martha and Mary
- [16:10] - The Priority of the Heart Over Hands
- [17:27] - Addressing Spiritual Burnout
- [30:36] - Church Growth and Spiritual Progression

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Luke 10:38-42: "Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.'"

#### Observation Questions
1. What were the different responses of Martha and Mary to Jesus' visit? How did each sister choose to spend their time? [01:28]
2. According to the sermon, what does the term "proximity" mean in the context of our relationship with Jesus? [07:24]
3. How did Jesus respond to Martha's complaint about Mary? What did He emphasize as the "good portion"? [01:28]
4. What are some of the distractions mentioned in the sermon that can keep us from focusing on Jesus? [20:04]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it significant that Mary chose to sit at Jesus' feet rather than help Martha with the household tasks? What does this say about her priorities? [06:33]
2. How does the concept of "proximity" to Jesus go beyond physical closeness? What are some ways we can intentionally draw nearer to Him spiritually? [07:24]
3. In what ways can prioritizing Jesus over our daily tasks and responsibilities impact our spiritual growth and relationship with Him? [14:56]
4. How can the story of Martha and Mary help us understand the balance between serving Jesus and being with Jesus? [16:10]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current proximity to Jesus. Are there specific actions you can take to draw closer to Him, such as setting aside dedicated time for prayer or Bible study? [12:46]
2. Identify one area in your life where you feel distracted or overwhelmed, similar to Martha. How can you re-prioritize this area to focus more on Jesus? [20:04]
3. Think about a time when you felt spiritually burnt out. How might focusing on your relationship with Jesus, rather than just your service, help prevent burnout in the future? [17:27]
4. What are some practical steps you can take to ensure that Jesus remains the top priority in your daily life, even amidst your busy schedule? [14:56]
5. How can you encourage your small group or church community to move beyond just growing in numbers to making real spiritual progress and impacting the community? [30:36]
6. Consider the distractions in your life that keep you from focusing on Jesus. What specific changes can you make this week to minimize these distractions? [20:04]
7. How can you cultivate a "Mary-like" heart that prioritizes being with Jesus over doing for Jesus? What might this look like in your daily routine? [16:10]

Devotional

Day 1: Proximity to Jesus Demands Deliberate Choices
To truly be close to Jesus, one must make intentional choices to engage deeply with Him. This involves setting aside time for prayer, worship, and the study of Scripture, much like Mary who chose to sit at Jesus' feet, absorbing His teachings. This proximity is not merely about physical nearness but involves a heartfelt pursuit of spiritual intimacy. By choosing to prioritize Jesus, we open ourselves to the transformative power of His presence, which can profoundly impact our lives and decisions. This intentional positioning is crucial in cultivating a relationship that goes beyond surface-level interactions, allowing us to experience the fullness of life that Jesus offers. [06:33]

James 4:8a says, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you."

Reflection: What specific time can you set aside each day this week to intentionally draw closer to Jesus through prayer or Scripture?

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Day 2: Prioritizing Jesus Shapes Our Daily Living
Choosing Jesus over daily distractions and duties, as Mary did, is a powerful testament to the importance of setting spiritual priorities. This decision reflects an understanding of the fleeting nature of worldly tasks compared to the eternal value of time spent with Christ. By aligning our actions with Jesus' teachings, we not only honor Him but also align our lives with His divine purpose. This alignment helps us navigate life's challenges and decisions with wisdom and grace, ensuring that our energies are invested in pursuits that have lasting significance. [14:56]

Colossians 3:1-2 instructs, "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

Reflection: Identify one activity that typically distracts you from spending time with Jesus. How can you adjust your priorities this week to focus more on Him?

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Day 3: Recognizing and Overcoming Distractions
Martha's distraction with her duties, while hosting Jesus, mirrors our own tendencies to let life's busyness overshadow our spiritual focus. In a world brimming with distractions—be it work, social media, or even good intentions like service—choosing to focus on Jesus is essential. This choice is counter-cultural but vital for spiritual growth and depth. By consciously deciding to place Jesus at the center of our attention, we can resist the pull of less important activities and cultivate a more meaningful spiritual life. [16:10]

Hebrews 12:1-2a encourages, "Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith."

Reflection: What is one distraction you can minimize or eliminate this week to better focus on your relationship with Jesus?

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Day 4: Spiritual Renewal Through Intimacy with Jesus
Engaging deeply with Jesus is the antidote to spiritual burnout. This engagement renews our spirit and energizes our service, making our ministry sustainable and filled with joy. When our actions stem from a relationship with Jesus rather than mere obligation, we experience a profound sense of fulfillment and purpose. This relationship-first approach ensures that our service is an overflow of our love for Him, thereby preventing the exhaustion that often accompanies task-oriented ministry. [17:27]

Isaiah 40:31 promises, "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

Reflection: How can you incorporate more time for spiritual renewal into your daily routine to prevent burnout and maintain a joyful service?

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Day 5: True Progression in Faith and Community Impact
As believers, we are called not only to grow in numbers but also in spiritual depth and community impact. This growth requires a shift towards meaningful engagement with God and His mission, akin to a glacier that moves slowly but reshapes landscapes. By deepening our relationship with Jesus and actively participating in His mission, we can foster true spiritual progression within our church and community, making a lasting impact that goes beyond mere numerical growth. [30:36]

Ephesians 4:15-16 teaches, "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."

Reflection: What is one way you can contribute to the spiritual growth and outreach of your community this week?

Quotes

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "How many of you know that we're living in a day of distractions? I was in, been a little while, I was in the pet store. You know in the back, like they have the goldfish and stuff. They got all the fish tanks. And there's signs all over the fish tanks, don't do what? Don't tap on the glass. Why? It drives the fish crazy. What's every kid doing back there? But I noticed the other day there was a kid back there and he was tapping the glass. I'm just standing off in the distance and I'm kind of watching him. And he kind of stopped tapping and then he just started putting his finger. He captivated this one fish. Like it was locked in. And he figured that out. And everywhere he would put his finger on that glass, that fish would, he'd move it up to the top. It'd swim to the top. You know, it's like it's got that one bug eye and it's just like right there all up over the glass. And everywhere he would move his finger, that fish, it had forgot about everything else going on in the tank. Every other fish in there was going on about its business. But this one was captivated on this kid's finger. And it was like in a trance. It could not get out. It could not break loose." [19:25]( | | )

2. "Notifications are never ending. God love Rachel Perkins. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to call you out like this. The red bubbles on the iPhone, I can't stand. They're unopened notifications. All right, we were looking at emails the other day. She pulled her phone out. I think it was 21,000, 28,000 unread emails and stuff. And I was just like, notifications, they're everywhere. Y'all can pull your phones out right now. You pull that little drop-down thing, all your apps, notifications. Some of y'all can scroll for days. So many notifications, you don't even pay attention to them anymore. Most of the time." [20:44]( | | )

### Quotes for Members

1. "We'll spend hours interacting with media. Hours studying for exams. Or maybe some of you should be spending hours. Researching for papers. We'll spend hours hanging out with friends or at ballparks. Hours at our jobs that we have to go to. But only give Jesus a few minutes, if anything, at the end of our days. Why isn't he before anything else in our lives? It's a priority problem. Let's just call it what it is." [22:16]( | | )

2. "We're talking about the king of kings. The creator, the ruler, the sustainer of the universe. The one who made us and our salvation his priority. Can we in turn not make him ours? Mary says to Jesus, you're my priority here. I just want more of you. I just want to take advantage of this moment. Because you know, she knew he wasn't going to be there long. He's going to be off to the next town. Off to the next ministry opportunity. Off to the next group of people that needed to know the hope that he was bringing into the world. And she says, I'm going to lock in to this moment. Because I don't want to miss it. I'm prioritizing you above everything else in my life. Everything else in my life. Everything else can go to the side for a moment. While I sit at the feet of my Jesus." [24:11]( | | )

3. "And it's moving, but just barely. boy, don't I think that churches so often can be like glaciers. We have such a proclivity to become massive in size, but barely move inches over years. I don't want our church to be like that. Can we not confuse growth with progression? Sure, growth is a good thing. I think every single one of us in here desire for growth. We want to see our church grow. I want to see our church grow. But I want to see us even more progress. I want to see us move. Not just grow wide, not just be deep. Not just take up a lot of space in this community, but to invade it. To go out of these walls. To go beyond just this central location. That's what the Gospel does. It progresses. It moves. And if we're going to experience that, we've got to get before God. We've got to move towards Him." [31:26]( | | )

4. "My heart aches. It aches a little more for our college and young adults. The generation that I serve. Specifically within the context of our church. My heart aches for them in a deep way. But it aches for our church as a whole in ways too. Because I see a generation of people with such great potential to be used for the glory of God. But who seem to only want to somewhat entertain Jesus at times in their life. You know what Martha's doing? She's caught up in entertaining. And I see that in my generation and younger generations. I see that in even some ways in the older generations of our church. We just want to entertain Jesus at times with our lives. But Jesus doesn't deserve to be entertained as a part of our lives. He deserves to be exalted as the priority of our lives." [23:20]( | | )

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Transcript
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